Delivering Excellence Awards 2015 - winners announced

The Trust held its Delivering Excellence Awards ceremony yesterday (16 November) to celebrate some of the outstanding achievements of our staff and volunteers, who were nominated by their colleagues for their amazing work over the last year.

The shortlisted individuals were invited to attend a 1940s-themed afternoon tea ceremony at the Centre for Research & Development on the Kingsway Site, with a spread laid on by our Catering team. The inspiring and heart-warming stories about the efforts of the winners to deliver the Trust values were shared on camera by those who had taken the time to nominate them.

And the winners are…

Compassion in practice award

Laura Boyle, Nursing Assistant - Cubley Court

Nominated by the daughter of a service user for being “a great support to mum and the family as a whole… She always has time to talk about what mum has been like when she has been on shift. She is always smiling and bubbly. Nothing is too much trouble, no matter what the question or task. It is obvious she cares very much for the patients and I feel that when she is around my mum I know she is well looked after.”

Efficiency award

Alison Reynolds, Clinical Team Manager - Derby City CAMHS For leading on the development of a ‘single point of access’ for the child and adolescent mental health service (CAMHS) in the city, which has significantly reduced inappropriate referrals for specialist assessments and ensured a more integrated way of working, with a focus on prevention.

Innovation Award

Claire England, Lead Nurse - Crisis Team (North) For developing physical healthcare services for patients with severe mental health problems, achieved by securing a £62,000 Innovations Bid from the East Midlands Innovation Centre to implement physical health screening for patients being treated at home following an initial crisis assessment.

Inspirational leader award

Claire Biernacki, Service Manager - Derby City For her “outstanding leadership” within the Trust’s older adult mental health services, including her “exceptional” people skills and compassionate and supportive approach to her colleagues.

Rising star award

Louise Haywood, Lead Nurse - LD Assessment, Treatment & Support team

A qualified learning disability (LD) nurse for three years, Louise has developed links with the county-wide dental service to ensure improvements for LD patients and worked on a national research project to reduce anti-psychotic medication for patients with a learning disability. She has also acted as the on-call LD nurse.

Stigma/social inclusion award

Jackie Fleeman, Lead Strategic Health Facilitator - Learning Disabilities For developing a system that allows commissioners to compare the health of people with a learning disability (LD) alongside the rest of the population, and then lobbying commissioners, GPs and public health services to improve access to weight management services for people with LD.

Unsung hero award

Liz Edward & Rachel Robinson, Cashier/Welfare Officers, Finance For providing vital ‘banking’ services for patients, ensuring payments are received from family members or pension schemes, keeping patients informed of their balances and arranging for patients’ monies and valuables to be returned to families in the sad event that someone passes away in our care.

Volunteer award

Kate Smith, Volunteer - Derbyshire Early Intervention ServiceKate has committed her time to lead the All Being Well art group, which encourages young people to use art as a form of self-expression. In addition she has supported the recreation team at the Hope & Resilience Hub at the Radbourne Unit, offering art workshops there. She also designed the hub’s logo and is involved in other projects within the Trust and at QUAD in Derby.

DEED of the year award

Craig Neesham, Community Psychiatric Nurse

Winner of our DEED colleague of the month award for February 2015, Craig was put forward for the DEED of the year award. Craig walked through the snow to ensure a service user had the change in medication he needed. A couple of days later, he took an urgent referral from a GP and, as there were no medics available for a domestic visit, visited and made the assessment. The service user required an in-patient assessment and Craig arranged this, working four hours beyond the end of his shift.

Huge congratulations to all our winners and finalists for their achievements. And thank you to Computershare for sponsoring the winners’ trophies.